


Being held with just the right amount of love

by Dandelly



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Deanna/Beverly if you squint, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:15:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22572346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandelly/pseuds/Dandelly
Summary: When Data notices that his best friend Geordi yearns for someone to hold him close, he starts to think about how to cure that loneliness. Maybe a dance could help his friend?Now it is up to Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi to help him go through with his plan.Did I hear Valentine's ball??!
Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge
Comments: 16
Kudos: 76
Collections: Starfleet Gang





	Being held with just the right amount of love

With a knowing grin, Deanna looked back from Beverly to the dimly lit “dancefloor”.  
If you could go so far as calling it that. Where previously simple dinner chairs had adorned the space, a big elevated platform was now the stage of a beautiful spectacle.  
One Beverly had worked hard on preparing.  
Under the watchful eyes of the surrounding stars a small ball was held, complete with formal attire, hard taught dance moves and tasty desserts as treats.  
All of it, to help one _man_ finally make a huge, _life_ -changing step in the right direction.

When Data had approached Beverly about the small surprise he had in mind, the Doctor was instantly won over and after carefully asking, even swore Deanna into their plan.  
The memory of an almost sheepish Data still warmed her heart.  
To the untrained eye, he had looked and acted all the same, but even without being able to _feel_ his emotions, she could recognize them in his actions. An increased amount of his bird-like head tilts, a ‘tugging’ smile here or there and most of all -  
“… a surprise for …Geordi.”  
His eyes lit up with something human, almost akin to …  
“…love.”  
Deanna snapped back into reality, a bit reluctant to let go of that memory for now and turned back towards her friend.  
“It’s so clear to see. And yet all of us chose to miss it.”

Yes, Beverly was right. As Data slowly whirled Geordi around the floor, his hand at the small of the engineer’s back, Deanna felt an urge of that fluttering sensation beaming of from LaForge.  
She sensed it on him and saw it on Data.  
It was as if the two of them were glowing, even outshining the stars outside the ship. Geordi’s bright smile reflected the lights and it was contagious to look at. He wore such a dapper suit, bringing out his lean form (and buttocks), thusly displaying a great sense of style and fashion.  
So naturally …  
“Who helped Geordi pick out that marvelous suit?”  
…he couldn’t have chosen it on his own.  
  
With a ping of pride, Deanna smiled at Riker who had poked his head over her shoulder in curiosity and was now, undoubtedly joining the conversation.  
“Ah, it must be that _Betazoid_ fashion sense.”, Beverly answered with a mischievous smile, knowing full well that Deanna would bite.  
“ _Betazoid_ fashion sense? I wouldn’t even go so far as to say that there was such a thing at all! I can count myself lucky to have developed something of a style, DESPITE my mother’s best efforts.”  
Deanna huffed indignantly and after having made her point, focused back on the waves of affection coming from the other side of the room, droning out the snickers coming from her friends.  
She tried to remember when she had last seen Data this _content.  
_Not that he would ever exude these feelings like the others, but something admittedly changed about him when he had reign over his creative energies.  
His brain rose to new highs and in this, he grew ever closer to humanity.  
Once he allowed himself to think outside a pre-written subroutine, something special seemed to click in his circuits.  
And by the way, Geordi smiled at his friend, he seemed to notice that too.  
Her eyes wandered down onto their hands.  
  
“I simply wish to make Geordi happy. He previously stated that - and I paraphrase - **Nothing can compare to the feeling of gently being held**.”  
Data was now sitting opposite Deanna and Beverly, explaining why exactly he needed dance lessons from the Doctor.  
“As such, I surmised, that different stages of ‘being held’ exist in human interaction and that one of those could be performed by …a friend.”  
Beverly quickly glanced at her friend. So she had noticed it too, Deanna thought.  
Data made pauses as if he was unsure- or even shy!  
But that couldn’t be …could it?  
Deanna couldn’t help herself: “What are the different stages of …’ being held’ according to your research.”  
Now she was definitely sure. He was stalling.  
  
“Counsellor, are you sure, you want the full extent of this answer? Previous reprimands by the Captain, suggest otherwise.”  
A bit peeved Bev spoke up: “Don’t mind the Captain! We are always happy to hear your scientific endeavors!”  
Deanna could almost _taste_ the motherly love radiating from her friend. She had to bite back a small laugh and instead patted Bev’s hand soothingly, to calm her down.  
“Yes, that is right, Data, but due to the fullness of our schedules, we should maybe hear a slightly abbreviated version.”, Deanna said.  
“As you wish. I differ the categories I use from familiar, friendly, lovingly and …sexual, so -  
Doctor, have I said something wrong?”  
“No, no, continue!!” , Dr. Crusher gasped between breaths. Data’s bluntness had surprised her during taking a sip of her tea.  
“I will. The first category entails **being held** as hugs performed by the different members of a family. I observed that these differ in their intensity from family to family. As with the other categories they can serve similar goals like reassurance, encouragement, affection, and support. Even though I care for Geordi, I am not part of his family.  
I have made sure to check the database of all nearby ships and stations, but it seems that Geordi remains the only LaForge for lightyears.  
The next choice would be a friendly hug.  
I have carefully monitored these instances of affection and noted that this category seems to vary the most. Additional tests have to be arranged.  
Yet my observations on hugging between the men on this ship have given me several divisive subroutines to try out.  
With some ‘members’ of the crew, it is often accompanied by increased amounts of patting and grunting from both applicants.  
However, I am not sure if Geordi would appreciate such a rough way of bodily contact.”  
Deanna and Beverly exchanged another quick glance.  
“But in the situation, when Geordi said those words to me …, we were at the holodeck and watching one of my clients-“  
“As Sherlock Holmes?”, Beverly chimed in.  
“Yes. One of my clients was swaying in her …lover’s arms. So, from context, I can only assume that Geordi did not, in fact, meant a friendly hug.”  
  
At this point both Deanna and Beverly were leaning forward in their chairs with anticipation, listening to every word from Data’s lips.  
“So I came to the conclusion, that Geordi meant a loving hug. Which proposed the problem of finding someone he might be loving in that same intimate way.”  
Deanna almost groaned out loud and slapped her forehead, but could luckily stop herself.  
“But Data, what is stopping you from giving Geordi that hug anyway?”, Bev said.  
What she meant was, that even this caring gesture could make Geordi happier the loneliness he felt right now, even if it ‘only’ came from a friend.  
That was not what Data had interpreted.  
“It wouldn’t do if only one of the participants of the hug had …the substitute of those romantic feelings. Geordi would still think, that I would hug him out of friendship, nothing more.  
The wished outcome would not be achieved.”  
To say that Beverly’s jaw dropped, was an understatement.  
While the doctor still tried to wrap her head around that unexpected confession, Deanna already thought about the bigger problem at hand.  
“What makes you think, that Geordi wouldn’t like you like that, Data?”  
  
And even though, they all thought Data was void of emotions, Deanna knew that the android had been living with a broken heart when he next spoke.

“Geordi said, he forgave me already. But …I still can not ignore the pain I caused him during the Borg incident. How could Geordi ever love the thing that tortured him for hours.”  
“Data, you are NOT a thing!” Deanna already formulated her next argument, when Beverly suddenly surged forward, rounded the table between them and pulled Data into a ‘friendly hug’.  
At first, the android seemed lost about what to do next, looking at Beverly in mild surprise, but he quickly recuperated and returned the hug.  
After a minute or so, she softened her tight grip on him and put his head between her slender fingers.  
“Data, you’re so much more than that. Not only to us but also to Geordi. He cares for you, far more than you would think and he would be sad if he could hear you belittle yourself like that.”  
And now, Deanna knew what to say. “All he worried about, was you being safe. He put your well-being over his own, Data. That IS love.”  
  
In the present, Deanna can’t stop a tear escaping her eye as she thinks about the three of them hugging each other closely. He had seemed baffled then. As if the notion of not only Geordi loving him but also them, had escaped him completely.  
“It seems I have to adjust my previously made statements about **being held**.”, he had said, before hurrying off.  
He wouldn’t return until later that night, to inform them that instead of planning to join Geordi in finding a holographic dance partner, he was thinking about becoming the dance partner himself.  
  
Bev seemed to notice her friend's state of mind and quickly entwined their hands. Carefully the Doctor drew small circles on Deanna’s soft skin and the counselor wondered not for the first time, if maybe Data wasn’t the only one to have to rethink his stance on ‘love’.  
  
In the following days, Bev had given it her all, to teach Data not only the technicalities of dancing (this time with sturdier footwear) but also the _emotion_ , _the want_ , at ist core.  
She had led him across the dancefloor, twirling, laughing and improving while Deanna was imploring the Captain to hold a dance ball at Ten Forward. Guinan had joyfully accepted the idea, so it was Picard’s turn to give it the final permission.  
She had prepared a great monologue about crew morale and the impact of such an occasion on the standard biological brain but as she was readying her clip chart, the Captain interrupted her.  
“Does this correlate to Dr. Crusher teaching Data how to dance?”, he asked, a small grin hiding at the corner of his mouth.  
It was settled then, all preparations were made, as the date slowly inched closer.  
All of it without Geordi ever suspecting anything.

Deanna took one last look at her two friends on the dancefloor before deciding that she should concentrate on her own pleasures now. With nervous steps, she left the area around the dance and walked towards her dear Doctor.

In the middle of Ten Foward Geordi tried his best at breathing evenly, but his heart wouldn’t quit the fluttering.  
Everything about this was perfect, better than all his dreams combined and so much more.  
He couldn’t stop grinning enthusiastically at his friend Data, who in return, had the biggest smile on his face, Geordi had ever seen on an android.  
The colorful hues around the man shifted in the light, radiating like a kaleidoscope and Geordi found great pleasure in turning and turning until all he could see was Data’s face adorned by luminescence.  
Never in his life, could he had hope for this to happen.  
Indeed, what a surprise. In all of the years onboard, they had never had a Valentine’s ball, but something (or someone) must have changed.  
Not that he cared much for it now, his brain was on a whole-nother level, but the tart of it all he cherished.  
  
He had been working on a new work plan for his officers, not fully concentrating on the task at hand. Instead, he was pondering on the fact that his best friend hadn’t had time for him in months now.  
Of course, Data wasn’t just there to spend time with him specifically but still … it hurt a bit.  
Somber he returned to his work when suddenly his PADD pinged with the sound of a new Memo coming in.  
He was rather taken by surprise when in the same second the memo came in, Data had plopped up next to him, asking if he wanted to go to the ball together.  
“Huh?”  
“I asked if you wanted to accompany to the Valentine’s ball.”  
“Uhm, well …” He was flabbergasted then.  
But this couldn’t be, he surely had understood it wrong.  
“I mean, I would, but I don’t think I will find somebody to be my partner in time.”, he sheepishly replied.  
Even though he knew it wasn’t like Data to do that, he almost had the impression of the android trying to steady his artificial breath.  
“You must have misread. If you would like, I want you to be my dance partner for the night.”  
  
They stood there for a second, Data waiting and Geordi not knowing what to answer.  
Surely, this couldn’t mean anything.  
But what …what if it was.  
  
So he simply nodded, too afraid of the butterflies in his stomach giving him away.  
“I will pick you up from your quarters at 1600 hours in two days.”  
Was that … a sign of a grin on Data’s face just there?  
The engineer couldn't really focus on anything much after that but the surprises didn’t seem to end there. Counselor Troi intercepted him on his way to his quarters that night.  
“Ah, Geordi! I’ve heard, you are coming to the ball too?”, she cheerfully said.  
Suspicious he answered: “Yes, how do you know?”  
“Oh, Data was quick to tell me about it. He seemed rather happy that you said yes.  
But that isn’t why I’m here.”  
She unceremoniously handed him a small package afterward and bid her farewells without him being able to respond.  
In the box, he found a perfectly tailored suit, right for his size and stunning in design.  
And at that moment he had to admit, that he didn’t feel bad anymore about his friends scheming behind his back.

  
And know they were here, slowly inching closer with each passing song, his hand in Data’s and the other on his shoulder. Geordi was longingly aware of Data’s palm on the small of his back, gripping him with just enough force. Wishing it would inch further down.  
At the end of the next song, they were dancing chest to chest, his human heart beating against the androids artificial one, their faces tentatively close, the others lips ready for a kiss.  
Their eyes met and behind the _emotionless_ facade, Geordi was sure to see a gleam in Data’s eyes that made his body shiver.  
Yet before either of them cut act on the tension between them, Geordi chose to rest his head on his friend's chest, for now, afraid of what he would do if he kept staring into Data’s eyes.  
  
“Geordi?” He could feel the vibration humming through him.  
“Hm-mh?”  
“Are you feeling adequately held?”  
He snorted.  
“Yes, Data. I am being held just right.”

**Author's Note:**

> My friend weedcorndog's DaForge Fanfic made me yearn for more fluffy goodness, so I finally wrote something for one of the sweetest and softest couples I know.  
> I hope you enjoyed this short story, about the longing for "human" touch.


End file.
